


Not everything has to change - not yet

by Heellen



Category: Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 04:00:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28718475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heellen/pseuds/Heellen
Summary: Jay is ready to share his Sergeant promotion with all of his friends and with Hailey, of course.Fic related to my 'Sometimes change is good', but you can also read it separately.
Relationships: Jay Halstead/Hailey Upton
Comments: 8
Kudos: 55





	Not everything has to change - not yet

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys. Unlike my usual, I make a note at the beginning of the story to tell you only one thing.
> 
> This fic is related to my 'Sometimes change is good' fic, but it can also be read separately. If you want to get a more complete view of what happened before these moments, really go and read that story :)

"Jay? Can you help me here?" Hailey screams appearing from the bathroom door.

The restless silence that reigns all around in the house leads her to move along the corridor looking for the man she was calling in vain.

"Jay? Hey." She slides a hand down his back as he looks so incredibly far away from her.

She sees him blink a few times as if waking up to her touch.

"Uh, sorry. Zoned out for a sec."

Hailey pokes her head from behind his back trying to figure out what was distracting him so much.

His attention was still so focused on the photo on the shelf that she's amazed he recognized her presence.

"Is it stupid I dreamed of seeing her there today?"

She doesn't need to ask anything because the photo in front of them is all the answer she's looking for.

An old photo of him and Will, with their parents. She has seen that photo a thousand times but she still wonders at Jay's similarity to his mom. Will took the features of their dad, but Jay is absolutely the carbon copy of his mom. The same smile and the same freckles.

"No, it's not stupid at all. If she could have…you know, she would have been here."

"I wish you had known her. You two probably would have been giving me shit all the time, but uh - you know, she would have liked you." Jay shrugs with a lost look.

"I would certainly have liked her. She has the same good looks as you."

Jay chuckles looking at her briefly before wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"My dad…you know, we never really clicked. I mean, yeah, I found out he was proud of me, but you know…he always had preferred Will."

Jay sighs while remaining silent for a few seconds, "I made peace with that, though. It's just…I was totally mama's boy. She - I don't know - maybe she got my dad would always be too hard on me. I don't know."

He shakes his head slowly, "But still I don't know why I'm complaining to you. Your childhood, that sucked."

"Hey no." Hailey pinches his side with two fingers, "He was your dad anyway. It's okay to talk about it with me."

"Maybe he'd liked you. You know, this whole thing about being tough and fierce - he liked it. But still, everyone likes you."

"Yeah?" She giggles as she crushes her smile against his chest, "Feeling a note of jealousy there."

"What can I say." Jay drops a quick kiss on her forehead before walking away from her, "Let's go or we'll be late. We still have to fix all this hair."

He makes fun of her by removing the elastic from the neat tail she had already made and arousing a dissatisfied moan in her.

"Bad move, almost Sergeant Halstead."

Jay laughs out loud as he pulls her behind him with that laugh that she can't really stop loving.

"I don't know how useful I can be with your hair, but we'll fix it."

Jay rolls the tail in his hands creating a small bun. Hailey looks at him in the mirror, his expression focused as he pinches her hair with a pair of bobby pins.

"You're good at this."

"She said in an astonished tone."

Jay chuckles kissing the now exposed skin on her neck, "And anyway, I can't really wait to take this uniform off you."

He leaves her motionless and alone in the bathroom as he returns to the bedroom. And she can't help but feel the physical need to take off their uniforms.

The routine they fall into is almost ridiculous. How they move around his bedroom without disturbing each other, helping each other when they need it.

Hailey fastens his tie and smoothes it across his chest in one slow motion. She wants to absorb every single moment of what's going on and, at the thought of the day ahead, she feels her stomach tighten in a nervous grip.

She's so damn proud of him.

Hailey has never had any doubts about Jay - Jay has always been one of the best and most competent cops she has ever met. But when they found out that he had passed the exam, she found herself thrilled and touched. He was good, passionate and brave - the best thing that has ever happened to her in a long time.

"You nervous?" She almost laughs at the tremor in her own voice.

"Eh, you are definitely more than me."

Jay looks at her with that look he gave only to her. By now she would like to be used to it, but each time her heart beats a little faster.

Hailey laughs softly.

"I'm so proud of you."

"It's just a ceremony, Hails. You're making too big a deal of it."

"Shut up." She laughs again, "Adam told me you have to explain to him how to study while working."

"Eh, and he has never been on patrol."

"Yeah, it doesn't help him, honestly…"

"It doesn't, no. He's a bit high around the edges." Jay nods slowly, they don't really need to say what they're referring to.

"But anyway…" He starts approaching Hailey, "Let's go back to talking about how I managed to study and work at the same time."

"Eh, what about this?"

"Do you think I should tell him I got special help?"

Hailey grins, "Special help?"

"Yeah, you know, the one where your girlfriend promises you that if you finish studying by a certain time, then she'll sleep with you."

His words make her blush and he continues, "No, I won't tell him. It's a really special help, I don't think I can share it with anyone."

"I think so too." She laughs shaking her head.

They finish getting ready in a few minutes, Jay is waiting for her next to the front door turning the car keys in one hands.

She looks at him, his gaze lost out the window and yes, now she remembers why everyone says men in uniform are charming.

She tightens the knot of her tie one last time before leaving him a quick kiss on the lips - a gesture she still isn't really used to being able to do whenever she wants.

It's still early for the ceremony, but Jay should have arrived a little earlier and Hailey really didn't mind waiting for the rest of the unit in the spring sunshine.

"So are we sure we want to do it?"

"Hailey. I think it's a little late for that." Jay points to her uniform with a tilt of his head.

"I'm talking about you and me up there. In front of our friends."

"I know what you're talking about." He chuckles, then remains silent for a few seconds, just looking at her.

"We can not do it. I can ask Will, sure."

Hailey watches him. He seems calm, stoic. But she knows him best.

"You know I want to be with you, right?"

"Yup." He nods slowly, "I know."

"I just want us to stay secret for a little while longer. The gossip, the judgments…I want it to be the two of us, just for a little while longer."

"Yes, Hailey. I know."

His green eyes are even clearer in the sun. Jay looks away from her, tightening his tie knot.

That man is…much more than she ever thought she deserved.

"Don't ask Will, I'll go up."

"You don't have to do this if…"

"I want to, though. I'll do it. And you won't make me change my mind."

She runs a hand over his tie, straightening it slightly. His smile is warm and shy and, seriously, he's so much more than she ever thought she deserved.

Hailey leans against the wall with her eyes closed, her face turned towards the sun.

"You know, Platt not finding out about us…it doesn't seem possible."

"We are detectives, Hailey."

"It is than likely that she already knows."

"She already knows for sure." Jay laughs and she feels like a teenager because of the butterflies that flutter in her stomach.

"So, remind me what we told the others?" She tries to change the subject to keep the emotion flowing on her skin at bay.

"Will will take the stage." He shrugs, "Of course I didn't tell Will about it."

Hailey chuckles softly, "I would really like to see their expression when they see Will sit with them."

"Hailey, you have to stay focused though." Jay hits her shoulder with his, "When you're up there, you have to remember where to put the pin."

"You, smart ass, I might not go on stage."

"No." He laughs, "You would never do that!"

"Jay Halstead?" A voice calls from afar and he turns quickly.

"Yes, it's me." He responds by adjusting his tie, then turns to her lowering his voice, "See you up there."

"I'll be the one with the pin for the future Sergeant."

Jay smiles as he greets her one last time before leaving her alone outside the ceremony room.

It doesn't take long before the first guests start arriving. The amount of uniforms is staggering and she has to remember that it's a ceremony and not a funeral - usually, all uniformed cops just mean dead cop.

She shakes off that feeling just as the rest of her unit sees her and approaches her.

"I texted you if you wanted a ride!" Kevin hugs her quickly.

"Uh, sorry, I didn't really look at my phone. I came with Jay though."

"With Jay?" Kim moves her eyebrows conspiratorially.

Hailey shrugs casually. She really has to concentrate so as not to laugh out loud at Kim's conscious expression. If she really knew…

They managed to keep their thing a secret until then, she can hold out a little longer.

"Damn, how hot we are in these uniforms." Adam says as he straightens his sleeve.

"Eh man, I looked in the mirror and I was dazzled." Kevin laughs at his own joke as he takes Hailey by the arm.

She and Kim laugh out loud as Voight grunts at the jokes. He has never been a man of ceremonies, but maybe, for the first time, today Hailey will see him touched.

They sit in some rather central seats and Hailey keeps herself quite outside. She waits as long as possible but becomes restless when time continues to pass but there is not even a shadow of Will.

She sighs in relief when she sees his red head appearing at the entrance of the room.

"Will!" She comes up greeting him, "We're sitting over there. We have kept a place for you."

He hugs her looking around. Hailey clearly notices his hands shaking slightly - just because his job requires steady hands.

"Detective Upton?" A voice calls her and when she turns a captain is holding out his hand.

"Yes, it's me. It's a pleasure."

"Captain Carrel. It's a pleasure for me too. Halstead sent me to find you, I have his pin. Come with me?"

"Sure." She smiles at Will apologizing as he gives her a 'It'll really be you?' look.

"Is this the first ceremony you take part in?"

"Yes." Hailey takes off behind the captain trying to keep up with him.

"It's not difficult. You'll be standing in front of him and when they call his name you'll both step forward. Put the pin on his uniform and shake his hand, hug him - whatever you prefer. Just like the ceremony after the Academy."

They pass a series of corridors as he continues to explain everything to her.

She doesn't even realize the clock is ticking and before she can really realize what's going on, she's standing in front of Jay.

Next to him are eight other future Sergeants. Jay always seems so cold and aloof, but she knows him best. She saw him scratching his neck nervously as he stepped onto the stage. But now he stays there, looking at her impassively. He's a damn good actor, she finds herself thinking amused.

And suddenly it's all so real: Jay is really becoming a Sergeant. And it still seems so impossible to her to be the person he's sharing this moment with.

She waits patiently for her turn and then his name is finally called. And even she is amazed at how steady her hands can be as she puts the pin on his chest.

Jay is a Sergeant and she is stupidly happy.

His green eyes are fixed on hers as he shakes her hand and she sees a crooked smile rise on his lips - the same crooked and irreverent smile she would like to kiss away immediately. His eyes catch her attention again and what makes her quiver with joy is the emotion that vibrates in his look.

...

"Hey, what are you doing here alone?"

Kim hands Hailey a beer.

"I was looking at you all."

"No, you were thinking." Kim laughs shaking her head.

Hailey turns the bottle in her hands looking around her. Molly's is full and all their friends are there to celebrate Sergeant Halstead.

"I was thinking, yeah."

"That you are very proud of your man."

"What?"

"You know I've known Jay for a long time, right?" Kim glances sideways at her smiling behind the beer.

"Okay?"

"And that I can read him pretty well, right?"

"Kim." Hailey hisses as she sets the bottle down on the table.

"I see through him, my dear." Kim waves a hand in her direction before hugging her, "I'm happy for him. He deserves this."

Hailey hesitates at the sudden change of speech. For a second, she wondered what she was referring to, but the happy look Kim has as she looks at Jay is very explanatory.

"Yeah, me too."

And it's true.

She's so happy, so proud of him and of who he is. And she can't stop wonder what she would be like if his mom had been there. Her kid was a good cop, but above all, was a good man - and she's sure Susanne would have been so proud of her kid.

Kim looks at her again, this time no beer to hide her smile, "And anyway, nice surprise to see you up there."

"Yup." She giggles.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Nope."

"Should I ask him something?" Kim challenges her by crossing her arms across her chest.

"Nope. Enjoy the party instead of being a detective."

Hailey passes her by brushing her shoulder.

She absolutely has to run away from Kim before laughing and revealing everything. Of course, it was mostly her decision to keep this thing between them still a secret, yet at that precise moment she would really want to tell everything about them just to see Kim's gaze.

She walks slowly through the crowd until she passes Jay too. She strokes his back softly before joining Severide and Hermann.

...

Jay drags his fingers along her spine and she sighs in satisfaction as she leans a little deeper against him. His skin is always warm and Hailey isn't really sure she can ever get used to this feeling.

She leaves a quick kiss at the level of his heart before closing her eyes and humming happily.

His voice is just a whisper - so soft it makes her wonder if he really spoke.

"Today you were thoughtful."

But when she feels his fingers stroking the thin scar on the side of her chest, she raises her head slightly to look at him.

"I was happy. It's been a beautiful day."

"You were silent and thoughtful. So you were dangerous." Jay giggles beneath her, "What was this blonde head thinking?"

"I'm really happy, Jay."

"But?"

"But it's official. You are a Sergeant."

"So it seems, yeah."

They remain silent for a few seconds. Her fingers absently trace a pattern between the freckles on his shoulder.

"No more partners, never again."

"I know, Hails." Jay sighs deeply, then continues, "You know if I could I would take you to Robbery Homicide with me, right?"

His hand slips through her hair and she lifts herself up on one elbow to be able to see him clearly. They had never talked about this opportunity.

She would be foolish if she said she never thought about it - ask for a transfer to his unit. But so quickly, her thought was also discarded. It wouldn't have made sense to change unit just to do the same job she already did at Intelligence.

Jay drags her out of her thoughts, starting to speak again.

"I would never do that, Hails. I'd block the career of a great, great cop. I don't want to block you with me forever."

Hailey nods in the dim light, but their heads are so close that she can see his eyes well - his dark eyes, much darker than usual.

"But we have this, we have us." Jay spreads his arms out before slowly stroking her cheek, "We won't work together, no. But, you know, I think this thing, between us, is pretty good…"

Hailey laughs before throwing one leg over his hip and sitting astride his thighs, "Pretty good, yeah."

"Just like what I'm seeing now."

"Ah, is it just pretty good?" Hailey hits his arm, feigning offense.

She can't help but bask in the feel of his laughter echoing in the darkness as she slides her arms along his chest until she's fully lying over him.

"I think Kim might be onto something."

"Yeah, I think so too. She ambushed me outside the bathroom today." Jay pulls the blanket over her shoulders.

"Oh."

"I told her you are dating Will."

"What?" She jerks her head up.

Jay shrugs indifferently, "She didn't buy it, clearly."

"You are kidding." Hailey hisses with her eyes narrowed in two slits.

"Of course I'm kidding."

Jay laughs again - so deep and light at the same time.

And his gaze is just what she loves so much - good, amused and happy, especially happy.

"But anyway…are we really talking about Kim and Will right now?"

"Yup?" Hailey chuckles.

"…while you're naked in my bed? There's something wrong with me." Jay sighs as he slides the blanket over their heads until it's completely covered them.

"Yes, you're right." Hailey leaves a soft kiss on his lips, "Stop talking about them."

"Stop talking, Hailey. Just stop talking."

And again, she hums happily.

This time his lips are slower on hers and she feels so damn lucky.


End file.
